Page 10 of Potion of Deception (Potion of Deception #1)

GUESSES AND ASSUMPTIONS

V iolette's face was pointed upward as she watched the stars for a quite long time. The night was beautiful and not as cold as she’d expected it to be, however she was still wondering – where was the magic of fairytales she'd heard so much about?

Sometimes she'd looked around in search of signs of it but there was only a dark forest around, nothing else.

“Still worrying about robbers?” Dante's voice entered the air as he noticed her restlessness.

“No.” She took her eyes off the snowy trees. “I actually –” she paused,“Well, I expected something more from this place. I mean…It looks pretty ordinary.”

“This is the thing they don't tell you, right?” A magnetic smile lit up his face.

“These lands hide magic well, it doesn't scream for itself.

That's the whole point – you never know if the well is enchanted or the owl,” he pointed his chin upward at the bird on the branch over them, “is an evil sorcerer.

Some places are more whimsical than others, but the truth is you'll always meet the magic when you least expect it.

It's always around – you just don't really notice.”

She thought about his words for a bit and then voiced something that really was disquieting to her, “That man was mad at me that I was…a witch.”

He drew a sigh. “Yes, some people don't like…some of the magical beings. You see, you don't look like an enchantress from legends who came to make a wish come true.”

“You mean that one in a sparkly dress with wings, radiating light around her?” She let out a soft laugh.

“Exactly. If you don't look like this – they assume you are an evil witch.” He glanced at her before his gaze shot back to the road.

“Most of the people are wary of them or afraid.

But not all, some just are not used to wizards.

They are not as common here. Most of them are leaving for your lands because people are still very prejudiced about them.

Even after years they can't forget what some of your species did in the past.”

He most likely was referring to the old tales where witches and sorcerers were casting terrible curses on kingdoms and their people, however, it was a long time ago and wizards and wizardlings had nothing to do with it .

“It's so unusual,” Violette breathed. “In the Magic Lands nobody would suspect me of something bad just because I don't look like a cupcake.

I mean, it's the usual fashion where I came from. We are not cute little fairies. Though, I met a few unusual wizardlings and wizards who look more like royalty,” she continued.

“Our society doesn't have such preconceptions.

Human and magicborn live in harmony and we accept everyone, even descendants of evil species.

I mean, some still don't trust them but we don't judge or discriminate against them.”

Dante had seemed to attentively listen to her as he immediately responded, “We might have more wizards and other magical beings here but don't even know it.

Some of them don't talk about it. There was a time when these places had a lot of reincarnates but now it's a mystery how many of them are still living among us.”

Violette cocked her head, still watching Dante.

Reincarnates or as others called them ‘shapeshifters’ were an interesting happening – people who could shift to a predestined animal form, depending on who their ancestors were.

It's been known their heritage came from the Valley of Enchanted stories, however they were quickly populating the Magic Lands, it seemed it was connected to this bizarre behavior towards magical beings here.

“Look,” Dante suddenly broke the silence with a soft tone and waved his head to the side, “ Laevitins. ”

Violette turned her head in the direction he showed – under the tree there was a little fluffy lump of light reminding her of a little rabbit, illuminated by a bright cold light around him, as if he was the light itself.

Violette's lips parted as she gasped. “Never saw them before.”

It wasn't surprising, as a lot of the mystical animals could appear only under the cloud of night and usually they lived in the forests, but for such a city girl as Violette it was absolutely new.

Most of the creatures living in this world she'd never even imagined seeing, as they lived in the wild or were incredibly rare.

And meanwhile Laevitins weren't the rarest species walking this world, it brought the butterflies to life inside her stomach.

“They leave their holes after midnight,” Dante said.

The little animal cleaned out its fur and in a flash of a second disappeared between the trees, leaving a strip of light in the air which slowly ebbed away.

“Consider this the first magical creature you saw here,” the young man said as Violette kept peering with her starry eyes in the depths of the forest where the magical animal vanished. “Though that owl we saw could still be an evil sorcerer in disguise,” he kidded.

She drew her gaze back to Dante as he was already looking at the road, the corners of her mouth grew into a smile.

After one more hour of the trip the carriage finally stopped. They drove up to a town, quite larger than the one they stopped by earlier. Arriving in the middle of the night they found the town entirely loaded in sleep. The silence reigned on the streets hand in hand with darkness.

An old black lantern brightened the paved street, dimly illuminating cottages on both sides – closed shops, cafes, bakeries and houses. The dark windows reflected street lights, not a soul detected around.

Dante bowed out the coachman very quickly. He took them to the final destination as they agreed and departed. Violette and Dante again were left alone, however, instead of a comfy bed in an inn, they continued on their way.

“The place we need is not far off, we can walk there,” Dante said as he started moving.

His words took Violette by surprise. “It won't wait until tomorrow?”

“Do you have any other plans for the night?” He abruptly stopped and turned his head.

“No, I just meant we could wait for the daytime,” she suggested.

“The faster we get there the better. I thought you wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, or had you started to enjoy my company?”

Violette shot Dante an unfriendly look and with a frustrated sigh followed him.

“Why are all our adventures always happening in the night?” she asked herself more than him. Though, he didn't hesitate to reply.

“Isn't night the favorite witches' time?” His voice sounded playful .

And despite it being just a popular assumption, it was still kind of true and Violette couldn't object to his words.

She herself finds night a mystical and inspiring time.

She couldn't say if it was because she was a magical being or she just liked the secrecy that darkness hid.

Though, it was a fact – there were a lot of potions and spells which some wizards believed better to brew and conjure in the nighttime.

This belief started because of the strong power the moon can radiate while being in the different phases.

It could energize some of the potions and objects, and give them special powers.

Some of the potions required to be brewed for three nights under the light of the full moon, or to leave the ingredient to bathe in its light for a while.

When Violette was younger she had a time when she had to brew a potion of alleviation for five hours under the crescent moon’s presence, and then do it again after almost a month.

Same time. Same day. Otherwise the potion would be useless, just a usual liquid, no matter how many ingredients she'd put there and how uncommon the color of it looked.

As they were leaving the town Violette took in a little wooden sign:

Violette raised her brows, continuing treading behind Dante. They were going into the woods? It's not what she actually expected but why should she be so surprised when her companion was secretive all the way here? And it's not like he brought her this far just to get rid of her in the forest.

“The place we are going to–” Violette started as one of the thorns caught her cloak, “so what exactly is it?” she continued removing the thorn.

“You are very impatient,” he pressed.

“It's called having common sense.”

Dante only slightly turned his head to fling a look at her over the shoulder. “We are almost here.”

“Remind me again, why can't you take whatever is hidden in this place?”

“One witch didn't want me there so she enchanted that place with a blood spell,” he explained dryly.

“And what is there? A spell that can break your curse?”

“Don't rush events, Little Witch. I said there is something that will help us with the curse, not break it. It will require more work.”

She glanced sideways, of course she didn't hope they would be done that soon but it would be nice to dream.

A white veil covering the tall trees and a deep layer of snow on the ground suggested that the snow was falling here only a few hours ago. While the winter barely visited southern lands, it was already celebrated here in the northwest.

The snow was crackling under Violette's boots with every new step. The fresh and cold air filled with pinecone and a wooden scent was drifting around while the moon had followed the travelers as a kind friend keeping an eye on them.

Violette took another step, the snow creaked under and suddenly she stopped.

The silence circled around her. Her eyes fell onto the steps ahead left by Dante.

She took a step again, and two more. Snow pressed under her boots, making a loud sound and then silence reigned around again.

Her eyes darted at Dante's back – he was treading forward, not making a sound.

Literally none. His steps were completely quiet, as if muted. Like he wasn't moving at all.

“How do you do this?” Her voice shattered the silence.

Dante didn't turn his head. “What?”

“How do you move this quiet?” A confusion hovered over her.

He made a little turn with his head, voice remained nonchalant. “What do you mean?”

“You walk completely quiet while my boots make noise filling all around.”

His face was covered in a blanket of indifference and without much emotion, maybe only a taunt, he said, “Expensive boots I guess.”

“No, it's not. Your moves are silent and soft, even your footsteps are not deep. Like your legs are barely touching the ground,” she explained.

The snow cracked under his boots, and then one more time.

“Now you' re doing it on purpose.” Violette’s shoulders dropped.

“I have no idea what you are talking about. You are too suspicious.”

“Maybe because you keep secrets from me. I thought we were partners and should share our plans.”

“We are not partners. I am the head and you listen to what I say.” He didn't stop walking, nor did he look at her.

Violette didn't move, her leg rooted to the ground. Her brows furrowed and after a second a pressed pile of snow flew at the back of Dante's head.

“What the Hell?” He instantaneously spun to her, looking outraged and struck, completely clueless what he did to deserve it.

“Don't talk to me like this. I am not just a tool or your servant. I am not asking you for admiration, but I need simple respect,” Violette demanded.

The anger was seething inside her, her eyes pulsing, hands clenched in two fists, whole body tensed under his gloomy gaze. She held the glare until the moment Dante was finally able to admit defeat.

He took a deep breath. “Fine. I am sorry, I was…”

“Mean? Rude? Arrogant?”

“Yes,” he pressed, narrowing his eyes. “You're right, you deserve respect but I can't tell you everything. Not now. ”

She barely believed his apology was sincere, but it was enough for her. For now.

“Now, when we finally drew a line I wanted to ask,” she said after a few more passed trees. “You know a lot about magic and potions but you’re not a wizard and don’t look like anything…magic related.”

“What gave me away? No mantle or patent leather shoes?”

She raised one of her brows in annoyance. “So what are you?”

“Why do you think I am something other than a human?”

“I just don't feel like you are a human. Maybe you're not a wizard or a sorcerer but you might have some magic abilities. Maybe you're a shapeshifter? If you could turn into an animal I can see you being something small with big ears like a bat but not as cute, more arrogant,” she stated.

“Big ears?” he inquired, his eyes taking on a gleam of confusion.

“Yes. It's my detailed image.”

“No, I am not a reincarnate,” he let out coldly.

“Then you could be a human with magic abilities. I bet your super power would be self-confidence.”

“Ha ha. How did you guess it? I thought I didn't make it that obvious,” he said with an absolute stone face but Violette noticed as the corner of his mouth lifted a bit .

“Oh, I must have solved a riddle,” she clapped, “You are indeed a fairy.”

“Yeah, absolutely. Of course I am.”

She sneered at him, her nose scrunched for a second. A sly twinkled in her eyes.

“Fine. You are not a wizard or a sorcerer. Not a reincarnate or any kind of shapeshifter. You can't really be just a human, right?”

“I think I'll disappoint you with my answer after all.”

“Really? But you are quite familiar with magic. I mean, I was studying with humans and we both learned the basics but you know too much, I'd say.”

“I had time to learn.” Another dry response left his mouth.

After a couple of minutes of silence and snow creaking underfoot, they came out to a clearing in the middle of the woods.

Several small stones were rising above the ground dusted with frost. Violette's attention was immediately drawn to the crypt towering above the ground, looking like a small temple dedicated to some ancient God or Goddess.

The stones beneath its shadow turned out to be graves with the names carved under the hoarfrost – they came to a graveyard.

The shrill bird cry broke the dead silence.